Team Lead – PIC Test

Darwin Recruitment; Middletown (NJ); On-site; USD 140,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Darwin Recruitment is seeking a Senior Silicon Photonics Test Engineering Manager to lead test and characterization programs for complex photonic integrated circuits. You will define strategies, validation plans and qualification methodologies, coordinating optical, electrical and system-level testing across multiple teams to ensure production readiness.

The role requires strong hands-on testing experience, the ability to drive cross-functional initiatives, and a track record of delivering test

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s, Master’s or PhD in Electrical Engineering, Optical Engineering, Physics or a related discipline.
• 8+ years of experience in test engineering, validation, characterisation or qualification of semiconductor and/or photonic products.
• Experience qualifying PICs against Telcordia GR-468 or equivalent reliability standards.
• Understanding of PIC testing requirements for optical transceivers.
• Proven experience developing test plans, validation strategies and qualification methodologies.
• Experience leading complex test programmes and managing execution against project milestones.
• Strong hands-on experience in optical and electrical laboratory environments.
• Experience with wafer-level, die-level and packaged-device testing.
• Ability to manage both low-volume internal testing and high-volume external testing programmes.
• Experience qualifying semiconductor or photonic products for reliability and production release.
• Experience developing automated test platforms and production test methodologies.
• Familiarity with optical and electrical test equipment, automated test systems and data acquisition platforms.
• Experience with wafer-level optical fibre coupling to photonic integrated circuits.
• Proficiency in MATLAB, Python or similar tools for test automation and data analysis.
• Strong analytical, troubleshooting and problem-solving capabilities.
• Excellent communication, organisational and project management skills.
• Ability to coordinate activities across multiple engineering disciplines and external partners.

Responsibilities

• Define test strategies, validation methodologies and qualification plans for photonic and semiconductor products.
• Lead optical, electrical and system-level testing of photonic integrated circuits and related products.
• Develop detailed test plans, procedures, acceptance criteria and product release requirements.
• Manage test schedules, milestones and execution plans in line with product development and tapeout timelines.
• Lead wafer-level, die-level and packaged-device testing and characterisation activities.
• Analyse test results, identify root causes and drive corrective actions.
• Support the development of automated test infrastructure, data analysis tools and production test methodologies.
• Coordinate testing activities across photonics, ASIC, hardware, packaging and manufacturing teams.
• Manage external testing activities with foundries, packaging vendors, manufacturing partners and laboratories.
• Oversee reliability qualification, manufacturing readiness and product release activities.
• Provide technical leadership and mentorship to test and characterisation engineers.
• Produce test reports, qualification documentation and readiness assessments for internal and external stakeholders.

Skills

Test engineering

Photonic testing

Python

MATLAB

Project management

Leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s/Master’s/PhD in Electrical/Optical Engineering, Physics

Tools

Automated test platforms

Data acquisition systems

Job description

Senior Silicon Photonics Test Engineering Manager

About the Company

An innovative semiconductor design company specialising in advanced silicon photonics and photonic integrated circuits (PICs) for optical communications. The business is developing high-performance, application-specific photonic and electronic solutions designed to support next-generation data transmission, AI infrastructure and high-speed optical connectivity.

Role Description

The Senior Silicon Photonics Test Engineering Manager will lead the test and characterisation function, overseeing the development and execution of test strategies, validation methodologies and qualification programmes for complex photonic integrated circuits.

The successful candidate will combine strong hands-on optical and electrical testing experience with the ability to lead complex engineering programmes, coordinate cross-functional teams and drive products towards qualification and production readiness.

Key Responsibilities

• Define test strategies, validation methodologies and qualification plans for photonic and semiconductor products.

• Lead optical, electrical and system-level testing of photonic integrated circuits and related products.

• Develop detailed test plans, procedures, acceptance criteria and product release requirements.

• Manage test schedules, milestones and execution plans in line with product development and tapeout timelines.

• Lead wafer-level, die-level and packaged-device testing and characterisation activities.

• Analyse test results, identify root causes and drive corrective actions.

• Support the development of automated test infrastructure, data analysis tools and production test methodologies.

• Coordinate testing activities across photonics, ASIC, hardware, packaging and manufacturing teams.

• Manage external testing activities with foundries, packaging vendors, manufacturing partners and laboratories.

• Oversee reliability qualification, manufacturing readiness and product release activities.

• Provide technical leadership and mentorship to test and characterisation engineers.

• Produce test reports, qualification documentation and readiness assessments for internal and external stakeholders.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s, Master’s or PhD in Electrical Engineering, Optical Engineering, Physics or a related discipline.

• 8+ years of experience in test engineering, validation, characterisation or qualification of semiconductor and/or photonic products.

• Experience qualifying PICs against Telcordia GR-468 or equivalent reliability standards.

• Understanding of PIC testing requirements for optical transceivers.

• Proven experience developing test plans, validation strategies and qualification methodologies.

• Experience leading complex test programmes and managing execution against project milestones.

• Strong hands-on experience in optical and electrical laboratory environments.

• Experience with wafer-level, die-level and packaged-device testing.

• Ability to manage both low-volume internal testing and high-volume external testing programmes.

• Experience qualifying semiconductor or photonic products for reliability and production release.

• Experience developing automated test platforms and production test methodologies.

• Familiarity with optical and electrical test equipment, automated test systems and data acquisition platforms.

• Experience with wafer-level optical fibre coupling to photonic integrated circuits.

• Proficiency in MATLAB, Python or similar tools for test automation and data analysis.

• Strong analytical, troubleshooting and problem-solving capabilities.

• Excellent communication, organisational and project management skills.

• Ability to coordinate activities across multiple engineering disciplines and external partners.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working with external foundries, packaging vendors and manufacturing partners.

• Previous experience mentoring engineers and providing technical leadership.

• Familiarity with high-speed optical communications, coherent optics, networking or AI infrastructure.

• Understanding of silicon photonics fabrication, packaging and manufacturing processes.